Nangel may be a villain to P-Noy but to NIA people, he’s a hero

CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija–Former National Irrigation Administration chief Antonio Nangel may be a villain and a disappointment to President Aquino but to most people in NIA, he is a hero, hailed as the “best administrator” NIA ever had, believe it or not.

          NIA sources told The STAR that Nangel was one of the most hard-working administrators who visited various provinces and implemented several programs and projects that changed the face of NIA and the lives of farmers.

          “President Aquino may have a different perspective of Administrator Nangel but he must be looking elsewhere. He does not know him personally. He just relied on some informants,” one of the source said.

          Nangel is a Novo Ecijano who worked his way up the ladder. He first broke into prominence as operations manager of the Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation Systems, the country’s largest national irrigation system that runs the giant Pantabangan Dam.

          It was during his stint as UPRIIS when it finally became viable in year 2000 after 24 years.

          The sources made the statement after Mr. Aquino did not renew Nangel’s appointment over the latter’s supposed failures and questionable fund use. He said he could not understand why NIA never met its target to irrigate new areas of farmlands when it has been getting 100 percent of its budget allocation every year.

          The source said it was during Nangel’s watch when most NIA offices, the central office included, underwent a physical make-over and when morale of rank-and-file employees were at their highest. Additionally, all regional offices became viable, the first time it happened in 50 years. “They can say the worst things against him, but the people of NIA know the truth,” the source said.

          The source added that when the Chief Executive publicly scolded Nangel last week, the former NIA chief was flooded with expressions of support from officials and employees in various regions. “Many of them even cried. Administrator Nangel was so loved by the people at NIA,” she said.  

          Others said Nangel devoted much of his time coordinating NIA projects with the various regional and operations managers and barely had time with his family.

          Sources said the public scolding of Nangel last week, which precipitated his relief was “stage-managed” and was really meant to embarrass him to justify his departure.

          What hurts, they said, was that Nangel was actually due to retire on his 65^th birthday last February 14 but was asked to stay on owing his “outstanding performance” as NIA chief.

          “In the first place, why would he be extended beyond his retirement if he was not performing well,” one of the sources asked.

          “He was never given a graceful exit or the courtesy of allowing him to retire quietly without any controversy,” he added. (Manny Galvez)

2.3 Million Filipino Students to Benefit from Legarda’s Pantawid Tuition

MANILA-At least 2.3 million indigent Filipino high school graduates will be able to pursue tertiary education with Senator Loren Legarda’s proposed Pantawid Tuition Program.

Legarda said that Senate Bill No. 6, or the proposed Government Scholarship to Students for University and Technical Vocational Education Act, will be a complementing policy of the government’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

“This will establish a college scholarship program for high school graduates from household beneficiaries of 4Ps who have satisfactorily completed the requirements and conditions set by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD),” she said.

“A tuition fee supplement worth at least P5,000 will be provided to the student beneficiaries to be released every start of the semester. The amount may be increased upon approval of the Commission on Higher Education,” Legarda added.

As of 2012, there are now an estimated 2.3 million households currently benefitting from the 4Ps, which is seen as the biggest and most comprehensive poverty reduction tool by the government as it seeks to improve human capital investments by linking up the receipt of cash grant on the basis of meeting certain conditions and requirements set by the DSWD.

“It is important that the early gains of the 4Ps will be preserved and complemented thru the provision of a college scholarship program for high school graduates from the same household beneficiaries,” she said.

“This will enable families to have a better chance of improving their financial standing by ensuring that at least one family member will graduate from college or from a technical-vocational institution to improve his or her job prospects upon entering the labor market,” Legarda concluded.

JINGGOY BATS FOR WORKERS’ WELFARE IN FIRST SET OF BILLS

MANILA-Acting Senate President Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada prioritizes workers’ welfare in his initial set of legislative proposals filed on Monday.

 

During the first day of First Regular Session of the Sixteenth Congress, Sen. Estrada introduced 15 priority measures – 10 of which focus on and seek to address varied concerns of government employees, overseas workers, child laborers, self-employed workers and call center agents.

 

Among the first bills filed include proposed laws creating Magna Carta for Filipino Seafarers, instituting a new OWWA Charter, and providing Magna Carta for Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) Workers.

 

Sen. Estrada also seeks to amend certain sections of the Labor Code to strengthen worker’s right to self-organization, and to strengthen the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC).

 

Moreover, Jinggoy proposes to increase Personnel Economic Relief Assistance (PERA) to government employees to 4,000 pesos, and to provide additional support, benefits and compensation for barangay officials.

 

Sen. Estrada is also pushing for the establishment of regulatory standards for trainings and employment of apprentices to provide the youth with skills and access to employment, and for the protection and enhancement of welfare of self-employed workers and craftsmen.

 

Sen. Estrada served as Chairman of the Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development during the previous Congress. He concurrently chaired the Congressional Oversight Committee on Labor and Employment and Congressional Oversight Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs.

 

Also included in his list of priority measures are bills providing special protection of children in armed conflict, amending the Domestic Adoption Act and the Cooperative Code, and transferring the supervision of the police academy and training institute from the Philippine Public Safety College (PPSC) to the Philippine National Police (PNP).

 

Sen. Estrada is also set to introduce more innovative legislative measures in the coming days and to re-file bills which were not passed into law during the last Congress.

Legarda’s First Bills: On Education, Disaster Resilience, Poverty Alleviation, Cultural Preservation

On the first day of the 16^th Congress, Senator Loren Legarda set out her legislative priorities as she filed proposed measures on education, poverty alleviation, natural resources management, disaster preparedness, environmental conservation, and cultural preservation.

The first five bills that Legarda filed are the following:

·      Senate Bill No. (SBN) 6 - Government Scholarship to Students for University and Technical Vocational Education Act

·      SBN 7 – National Land Use Act

·      SBN 8 – Amending the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers

·      SBN 9 – Philippine River Basin System Administration Act

·      SBN 10 – PAGASA Modernization Act

She will also submit today the following priority measures:

·      Water Sector Reform Act

·      National Food Authority Reorganization Act

·      Micro-Enterprise Development Institution Act

·      Child Nutrition Law

·      Students’ Rights and Welfare Act

·      Malunggay Development Act

·      Integrated Coastal Management Act

·      Land Administration Reform Act

·      Barangay Health Workers Act

·      An Act Creating Folk Art Museums in Every Province

“We aim to support the government’s poverty reduction programs through legislation that will make the lives of Filipinos better and build a more humane society. Education is an important poverty alleviation tool and it should reach the poorest sector. Along with that, we must also look after the welfare of our teachers,” she explained.

The proposed Government Scholarship to Students for University and Technical Vocational Education Act will provide college scholarships to students who are members of households that benefit from the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

Meanwhile, amendments to the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers will be proposed to further protect the rights of teachers including providing them with security of tenure, ensuring the timely payment of monthly salaries, annual salary adjustment, and retirement benefits.

On the other hand, Legarda filed measures related to building the country’s disaster resilience, stressing that preparing the nation for the onslaught of natural hazards will help reduce poverty.

“The bleak reality is that the poor is hit hardest by disasters. Thus, we must strengthen our defenses against disasters and build community resilience,” she said.

The proposed National Land Use Act will reduce the impacts of disasters to the lives of people and communities by mandating the formulation of a national policy, as well as the complementing policy of local government units, for land use to ensure proper land management and avoid placing urban areas, communities and agricultural areas in fault lines and known path of floods and typhoons.

The creation of a Philippine River Basin System Administration is another legislation on disaster mitigation because it will create an institutional framework on river water management and a comprehensive river administration system for flood control, water use and environmental conservation.

Meanwhile, Legarda said she hopes that the 16^th Congress will see the passage of the bill on the long overdue modernization of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

The proposed measure addresses the need to upgrade the capacity of PAGASA to perform its mandate, which is vital in providing the necessary informational requirement and warning systems to minimize the vulnerability of people, environment and economy to natural hazards.

Illegal logging syndicate tagged behind gun attack on Ecija forester

CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija –  A syndicate engaged in llegal logging in identified “hot spots” in Nueva Ecija has been tagged for the twin assassination attempts on a forester of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in the province.

          Leovino Ignacio, DENR provincial  DENR provincial environment and natural resources officer, said a syndicate operating in Bongabon town could be behind the gun attack on Edgardo Luna.

          De Luna, 49, of Barangay Bantug Bulalo here suffered a gunshot wound at the back of his neck after he was shot by a motorcycle-riding gunman Friday at Purok Camalig, Barangay Bangad.

          De Luna was driving his motorcycle on his way home when shot from close range by the gunman who was riding in tandem with a companion.

          It was the second slay attempt on De Luna who was also shot by a lone gunman on May 23 by a gunman while he was aboard a XLT passenger jeep in Barangay Bitas also in this city.

          Ignacio said De Luna may have angered members of the syndicate operating in Bongabon town following a series of successful anti-illegal logging operations there.

“This is a big syndicate,” he said, adding many were hurt by the DENR’s campaign against illegal logging of which De Luna is in the forefront, particularly  in Bongabon.

          Ignacio said the intensified campaign against illegal loggers was earlier ordered by DENR regional executive director Maximo Dichoso targeting Bongabon and the other “hot spots” such as the towns of  Carranglan, Gabaldon, Gen. Tinio, Laur and Pantabangan.

          Earlier, De Luna led a DENR team in confiscating 1,000 board feet of wood from the owner of a furniture shop in Barangay Antipolo in Bongabon.

Ignacio called on local government officials in the “hot spots” areas to help out in the anti-illegal logging campaign. “If they would just help us, I see no reason why our campaign won’t succeed,” he said.

Juan Fernandez Jr., DENR community environment and natural resources officer for central Nueva Ecija based in Talavera town has asked Ignacio to arm forest rangers in their fight against illegal loggers. (Manny Galvez) 

Legarda’s First Bills: On Education, Disaster Resilience, Poverty Alleviation, Cultural Preservation

On the first day of the 16^th Congress, Senator Loren Legarda set out her legislative priorities as she filed proposed measures on education, poverty alleviation, natural resources management, disaster preparedness, environmental conservation, and cultural preservation.

The first five bills that Legarda filed are the following:

·      Senate Bill No. (SBN) 6 - Government Scholarship to Students for University and Technical Vocational Education Act

·      SBN 7 – National Land Use Act

·      SBN 8 – Amending the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers

·      SBN 9 – Philippine River Basin System Administration Act

·      SBN 10 – PAGASA Modernization Act

She will also submit today the following priority measures:

·      Water Sector Reform Act

·      National Food Authority Reorganization Act

·      Micro-Enterprise Development Institution Act

·      Child Nutrition Law

·      Students’ Rights and Welfare Act

·      Malunggay Development Act

·      Integrated Coastal Management Act

·      Land Administration Reform Act

·      Barangay Health Workers Act

·      An Act Creating Folk Art Museums in Every Province

“We aim to support the government’s poverty reduction programs through legislation that will make the lives of Filipinos better and build a more humane society. Education is an important poverty alleviation tool and it should reach the poorest sector. Along with that, we must also look after the welfare of our teachers,” she explained.

The proposed Government Scholarship to Students for University and Technical Vocational Education Act will provide college scholarships to students who are members of households that benefit from the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

Meanwhile, amendments to the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers will be proposed to further protect the rights of teachers including providing them with security of tenure, ensuring the timely payment of monthly salaries, annual salary adjustment, and retirement benefits.

On the other hand, Legarda filed measures related to building the country’s disaster resilience, stressing that preparing the nation for the onslaught of natural hazards will help reduce poverty.

“The bleak reality is that the poor is hit hardest by disasters. Thus, we must strengthen our defenses against disasters and build community resilience,” she said.

The proposed National Land Use Act will reduce the impacts of disasters to the lives of people and communities by mandating the formulation of a national policy, as well as the complementing policy of local government units, for land use to ensure proper land management and avoid placing urban areas, communities and agricultural areas in fault lines and known path of floods and typhoons.

The creation of a Philippine River Basin System Administration is another legislation on disaster mitigation because it will create an institutional framework on river water management and a comprehensive river administration system for flood control, water use and environmental conservation.

Meanwhile, Legarda said she hopes that the 16^th Congress will see the passage of the bill on the long overdue modernization of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

The proposed measure addresses the need to upgrade the capacity of PAGASA to perform its mandate, which is vital in providing the necessary informational requirement and warning systems to minimize the vulnerability of people, environment and economy to natural hazards.

Legarda Congratulates Direk Brillante for French Honor

MANILA-Senator Loren Legarda today congratulated Director Brillante Mendoza  for being conferred the title Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Artes et  Lettres (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters) by the French
 Ministry of Culture.
 “I am proud of Direk Brillante’s continuing success. He has been  bringing honor to our country with his internationally-acclaimed films  that raise people’s awareness on the realities in our society,” said  Legarda.
 “He is an artist who uses his talent not only for his individual growth and success but also for the benefit of other people as he usesfilmmaking to support worthwhile causes. He directed the two most recent documentaries on climate change that I produced—Buhos and Ligtas. Direk Brillante is truly deserving of this honor given to him by the French government and I hope more Filipinos would also appreciate him and his works of art,” she added.
 Acknowledging Mendoza’s expertise in his field, Legarda chose him to direct “Buhos”, a documentary that explains the science of climate change and its impact on everyday lives, and the soon-to-be launched “Ligtas”, an instructional video on disaster preparedness.
 Legarda also supported Mendoza in promoting his films including the most recent “Thy Womb”, which already earned numerous awards, both local and international. Last March, the Senator sponsored a special screening of the film that was attended by government officials, diplomats, members of the academe, and student leaders.

Legarda: Political Resolve Needed to Address Climate Crisis

United Nations champion for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation Senator Loren Legarda today called on the executive department to strictly enforce climate change, environmental, sustainable energy legislations passed by Congress over the past decade to mitigate and help the country adapt to the impacts of the warming climate.

Legarda issued the call following two notable facts—United States President Barack Obama’s action plan to confront climate change and a World Bank report showing that at least 23 Philippine provinces are vulnerable to disaster risks that are magnified by climate change.  

“President Obama has made it clear that he is determined to save the future of Americans by taking that needed push to cut down greenhouse gas emissions and increase investments on renewable energy. This path that the United States has taken will benefit a developing nation like the Philippines, which is a low emitter of greenhouse gases but is greatly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, particularly extreme weather events. But we also need to take bold actions to address our weaknesses,” she said.

“We have tons of legislation, adopted over the past decade, that sought to mitigate and address the adverse effects of climate change.  More than a decade after these laws were passed, we continue to be faced with grim scenarios of cities submerged in floods, families buried by landslides, people forced out of their homes due to floods, thousands of students stuck in flooded streets, and economic destruction in massive scale. Amidst these scenarios is the bleak reality that the poor is hit hardest by these disasters,” she added.

Legarda, author of the Climate Change Law, said that the National Climate Change Action Plan speaks of the need for convergence among government agencies in responding to the impacts of climate change. 

“We need to know whether we are indeed leading towards the path of convergence in the plans and programs of government, both at the national and local levels. Regrettably, such convergence is not evident in the energy programs as we see more and more coal-fired power facilities being put up at the expense of renewable energy,” she said. 

Data from the Department of Energy as of March 2013 show that committed and indicative coal-fired power projects has a total rated capacity of 7,189 megawatts against only 1,248.8 megawatts for renewable energy. 

The Senator noted that renewable energy projects can generate jobs that are badly needed given the country’s high unemployment rate.  A study by the Greenpeace shows that 650,000 jobs have been generated by renewable energy in Europe alone.

“We need to match our policies on renewable energy with action. Adaptation measures also need to be vigorously pursued.  The mere fact that people continue to live along waterways, notwithstanding legislations that say they cannot do that, is symptomatic not just of failure in the implementation of laws, but of the absence of development in other parts of the country that would offer better housing and employment opportunities to them,” she said.

“We also need to strengthen our preparedness in ways that will not only involve government, but also communities.  Preparedness starts from every household,” she added.

Legarda said that one of her priorities in the 16th Congress is the conduct of an environmental audit to determine the state of implementation and enforcement of policies. 

“The intent is not to create more laws, but improve existing ones where weakness is determined; and to ensure enforcement in ways that people and institutions will comply not so much because there is a law that penalizes non-compliance but because they understand that they have a personal stake in the enforcement of these measures,” Legarda concluded.

Legarda: Communication, Vital Tool for ‘Zero Casualty’ during Disasters

MANILA-Senator Loren Legarda today said that communication is crucial in achieving “zero casualty” during disasters.

“Communication is vital before, during and immediately after disasters. We need it to warn our citizens of impending disasters so they can prepare ahead of time; we need it during disasters for effective monitoring; and we need it also immediately after for efficient delivery of recovery and rehabilitation services,” said Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Climate Change.

In this regard, the Senator said she hopes that the Department of Science and Technology’s (DOST) Moses tablets will be effective tools of communication.

According to the DOST, the Moses tablets will be given to barangay chairmen for immediate two-way communication during disasters. These locally developed tablets are water-resistant, have antennas, and powered with extended-life batteries.

“We can avert disasters when there is communication between and among local leaders and government agencies. A good example is that of the municipality of Alimodian during Typhoon Gener in 2012, when they recorded zero casualty because they immediately reported to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) signs of possible landslide in their area,” said Legarda.

She explained that when the heavy rains of Typhoon Gener triggered major landslides in the populated barangay of Cunsad in Alimodian, Iloilo there were no casualties, because when the natural signs of impending landslide showed up in the area, the municipal government immediately reported it to the Mines and Geosciences Bureau of DENR for risk assessment. They heeded the advice of geologists to relocate the residents, thus, saving the lives of everyone in the community.

“We hope that these Moses tablets would result to better risk information. Meanwhile, to ensure that this project is made more effective and efficient, we also urge telecommunications companies to check the integrity of their communication infrastructure and locations and where their broadcast towers are installed, and make sure that their cables and buildings are safe when disasters occur,” said Legarda.

Passing on of income taxes grave disservice to water consumers!

MANILA-Sen. Ralph G. Recto today deplored reports that water concessionaires Maynilad Water Services and Manila Water Co. were passing on their multi-billion corporate income tax payments to their consumers.

Recto said he would be filing a resolution calling for a Senate inquiry into the perceived consumer abuse by the two private water concessionaires.

“By its very essence, corporate income taxes are shouldered by the companies, which made the income and should not be passed on to their clients,” Recto, senior vice-chair of the Senate committee on public services, said.

The senator said if this is true, such practice was “immoral” and “unethical” and does not reflect the corporate principles of the businessmen or entities behind the two private water concessionaires.

“Corporate responsibilities such as tax payments could not be relegated to a proxy, especially when the designated and unsuspecting proxy is the water consumer,” Recto said.

“More so, when the state concession was granted to deliver a precious commodity like water, it did not include the authority to also bilk dry their clients,” he added.

An advocacy group, Water for People Network (WPN), has bared that both Maynilad and Manila Water tucked in the income tax payments in their ‘operating expenses” or OPEX, which amounted to P3.1 billion each per year from 2008 to 2012 for a combined total of P15.3 billion.

Recto said the “discovery” now casts a shadow of illegitimacy on the petition of two water companies for a rate increase.

“What’s now the compelling justification for approving a rate increase? If they are not practically paying income taxes and at the same time, receiving some tax perks from government, what’s the happiness in granting them a rate hike,” the senator said.

Recto added regulator Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) must have done something to protect the welfare of the water consumers, but seemed to have generously capitulated to the avarice of the water companies.

The two companies want to implement a “rate rebasing” that would see consumers shouldering the OPEX of the water concessionaires.

Manila Water is seeking a P5.83/cubic-meter increase in its basic charge and Maynilad, P8.58. The increases will be implemented up to 2018.

WPN said a guaranteed rate of return, called appropriate discount rate (ADR), is applied on the pass-on income taxes as part of the OPEX.

From 2008 to 2012, Manila Water and Maynilad were given an ADR or discount rate of 9.3 percent. It was also in 2008 that Maynilad was given a tax holiday.

The MWSS-Regulatory Office has allowed the private concessionaires to include in their OPEX the cost of corporate income taxes that Manila Water and Maynilad could recover from consumers through monthly water bills.

This was on top of the “system loss” or cost of water pilfered that is also passed on to consumers.

Recto nevertheless said MWSS “should rescind this authority before losses and other company expenses such as travel and entertainment expense are also passed on to the hapless water consumers.” 

P-Noy hit for ‘un-presidential’ scolding of NIA execs in anniversary rites, says he’s a ‘KJ’

CABANATUAN CITY – President Aquino’s scolding of the   National Irrigation Administration on its 50^th (Golden) anniversary rites Tuesday afternoon has drawn a sharp reaction from officials and rank-and-file employees of the agency who rebuked the Chief Executive for allegedly spoiling the party and for being a KJ (killjoy) because of his “un-presidential sermon.”

Several NIA officials and employees interviewed by The STAR said Mr. Aquino’s attack on NIA Administrator Antonio Nangel and the agency’s supposed failure to meet its targets was uncalled for and inappropriate as he ignored the agency’s having achieved corporate financial viability, the first time it has happened in 50 years.

The President, in his 15-minute speech at the NIA compound, said he was “dismayed” with the NIA leadership because it was only able to irrigate 52,000 hectares out of its 81,170-hectare target in 2012, or a 65% accomplishment rate.

The President started his speech by citing that from 2001 to 2009, NIA failed to meet its yearly irrigation targets, getting as far as only 66%. He said in 2011, when he is already President, NIA was able to irrigate 32,830 out of its target area of 37,659 hectares or a high 87%.

He said he was dismayed that this was never sustained as only a year later, the percentage irrigated compared to the target was only 65%. “We are now back to line of 6. We might slide back to 30%,” he said.

“I will be honest with you, I am still dismayed because until now, it shows that there is little change happening in the National Irrigation Administration. We are already in the middle of our term and it is difficult if until now, you still don’t know what you want to do,” he said, as Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala who introduced him and Nangel, listened stoically.

Mr. Aquino said he is not a CCTV who could possibly monitor the performance of each government agency. He said he won’t accept lame excuses.

The President also failed to hide his disappointment over the failure of NIA to implement the Balog-Balog Irrigation Project in his home province of Tarlac. He said the project was conceptualized as early as the term of his late mother, former President Corazon Aquino but this has not started nor broken ground yet after almost three decades.

“We are already three years in office yet nothing has happened. Is this worth being funded? If so, let’s do it. If not, let’s stop it altogether,” he said.   

He said if only the BIP was implemented, then the harvest cycle in Tarlac would have been 7.5 a year. “It’s rice already turned stone,” he lamented.

Turning to Nangel, he said : “Administrator Nangel, help me to implement it. If you want to do it, nothing is impossible. If you don’t want to, it’s impossible,” he said.

After finishing his sermon, the President left in a huff, without even waving to the crowd who he failed to acknowledge at the start of his speech.

Prior to Mr. Aquino’s speech, the atmosphere inside the oven-hot venue was festive and upbeat as Nangel excitedly rattled off the agency’s accomplishments under his watch. He said that irrigation development in the country rose from 49% in 2009 to 56% in 2012 owing to the funding support from the Aquino administration.

He said NIA was able to restore idle farms, adding it only needs to irrigate 12,000 hectares to achieve the Rice Self-Sufficiency Program by the end of this year.

Nangel said NIA is   focused, not only on its mandate of irrigation development, considered the key to increased crop output along with  improved quality of rice seeds, post-harvest facilities, marketing and credit support and farm mechanization; but also on construction of mini-hydro power plants along irrigation canals, eco-tourism in reservoir, and potable water supply.

Turning the tables on Aquino, NIA officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the President failed to take into account the attainment of financial viability under the leadership of Alcala and Nangel.   

NIA officials and personnel said President Aquino appears to have engaged in fault-finding. “What he saw are the supposed failures of NIA but what about the accomplishments like the viability? Maybe he does not know what viability meant. He entirely missed the point,” one of them said.

A former NIA administrator who heard the tongue-lashing, said the timing was inappropriate. “It’s supposed to be a time of jubilation, of celebration because it’s the NIA’s 50^th year. Everybody was full of energy then suddenly he would spoil the whole party with his sermon,” the former official said. 

He admitted, however that with P-Noy, “expect the unexpected.”

Several employees, including those who traveled all the way from far-flung provinces, said what they expected from the President was the announcement of the grant of an anniversary bonus. “Instead, what we got was anniversary sermon. He is a true-blue KJ (killjoy),” one of them complained.

Another said the President picked the wrong agency in highlighting bad performance. “We won’t take it sitting down. Why, is the DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) better off than the NIA? Of course not. It’s still graft-ridden,” the employee said.

Others said the supposed “bad performance” of NIA from 2001 to 2009 should not be blamed on Nangel since he only came in only as administrator in 2010.     

Another employee said the agency would be better off by not inviting the Chief Executive in next year’s anniversary rites “so as not to spoil the fun.” (Manny Galvez) 

P-Noy to lead NIA’s ‘Golden Anniversary,’ 20 ex-administrators to receive awards

CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija–President Aquino will lead today the 50^th (Golden) Anniversary of the  National Irrigation Administration to be highlighted by the conferment of awards to 20 past administrators of  the government’s frontline agency in charge of the administration’s flagship Rice Self Sufficiency Program (RSSP).

          Mr. Aquino will be accompanied at the NIA Complex along Edsa, Diliman, Quezon City by Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala and NIA Administrator Antonio Nangel which carries the theme : “NIA at 50: Serving the farmers with excellence and commitment to continue its legacy in the years to come…”

          To be handed awards are past administrators Fiorello Estuar, Cesar Tech, Federico Alday, Jose del Rosario Jr., Apolonio Bautista, Rodolfo Undan, Orlando Soriano, Cesar Gonzales, Orlando Hondrade, Jesus Emmanuel Paras, Proceso Domingo, Baltazar Usis, Arturo Lomibao, Marcelino Tugaoen Jr., Carlos Salazar, Alexander Reuyan and Antonio Galvez. Posthumous awards will also be given to the families of deceased past administrators Tomas De Guzman, Alfredo Juinio and Manuel Arevalo.

          Nangel said the agency’s 50^th anniversary comes at a most opportune time when the central office and all its 17 regional officers achieved financial viability, the first time it has happened in a half-century. In 1983, it only had three viable regional offices.

Nangel said NIA has come a long way from an agency saddled with various problems - such as extremely low collection of irrigation service fees (ISFs) and slow release of funds for construction of projects over the past few decades into one which has demonstrated its capability to meet the expanding needs of national development.

          At the end of 2012, NIA has generated P3.7 billion in total revenues compared to expenditures of P2.4 billion, giving it a robust net income of P1,306,597,000 for the entire year.

          “On its 50^th year, the NIA central office and all our various regional offices are now viable. This is phenomenal. Indeed, this is now the dawning of the Golden Age for NIA,” said Nangel.

Nangel, a Novo Ecijano, was also instrumental in turning the Upper Pampanga River Integrated Systems (UPRIIS) -  the country’s largest national irrigation system (NIS) covering over 100,000 hectares in Central Luzon – into a viable NIS as its operations manager in year 2000, more than two decades after it started operating in 1976.  

          Nangel said NIA is   focused, not only on its mandate of irrigation development, considered the key to increased crop output along with  improved quality of rice seeds, post-harvest facilities, marketing and credit support and farm mechanization, but also on construction of mini-hydro power plants along irrigation canals, eco-tourism in reservoir, and potable water supply.

          He noted that just last year, the government approved three irrigation projects worth P19.7 million namely Phase 2 of the Casecnan Multipurpose Irrigation Project in Nueva Ecija and Tarlac, Phase 2 of the Jalaur River Multipurpose Irrigation Project in Iloilo and the Umayam River Irrigation Project in Agusan del Sur.

          These are apart from the NIA’s “crown jewels” such as the World Bank-funded Pantabangan Dam, Magat Dam and Angat Dam.

          Lorna Grace Rosario, NIA deputy administrator for administrative and financial management, said the central office posted a net income of P451 million, 34 percent of the total net income.      

Among regional offices, Region 9 posted the highest increment in net income with 95% while in terms of ISF, Region 7 posted the highest.

          In terms of monetary value, the Magat River Integrated Irrigation Systems (Mariis) and Upriis, operators of the Magat and the Pantabangan Dams, respectively posted the highest incomes followed by Regions 12, 10 and 7.

          Mariis posted a net income of P252.5 million while Upriis P238 million. Upriis is under the stewardship of Engineer Josephine Salazar, who made history as the first-ever lady operations manager of the said system.

Others who posted net incomes were Region  12, Region 10, Region 7, Region 9, Region 13, Region 8, Region 11, Region 6, Region 5, Region 3, Region 4-A, Region 1, Cordillera Administrative Region, Region 2 and Region 4-B.

          Robert Suguitan, NIA deputy administrator for engineering and operations, said the attainment of corporate viability is not only a tribute to the priorities given irrigation by President Aquino and Alcala  but also the help of various stakeholders from the regional, operations and project managers to irrigators’ associations and farmers.

          “It’s a concerted effort. You can’t just attribute it to one factor. But we have to give due credit to President Aquino for spearheading the effort. He made it all happen,” Suguitan said.   

          NIA is expanding its service areas with 150,000 hectares of new irrigation areas by the end of this year. To achieve this, it prioritized short-gestation projects, fast-tracked irrigated area roll-out and promoted crop yield-enhancing farming system. It also adopted water saving irrigation methods, including controlled irrigation practices.

          Based on NIA records, the country has 10.3 million hectares of agricultural lands of which 3.1 million hectares are irrigable, with 3% devoted to rice and corn. Irrigated land areas have increased to 1.73 million hectares in 2012 from 1.48 million hectares in December 2010.

          NIA was created by virtue of Republic Act 3601 which was signed into law on June 22,1963 by then-President Diosdado Macapagal.

Its mission was the development and management of water resources for irrigation and provision of necessary services on a sustainable basis consistent with the agricultural development program.

          Aside from sustaining its operations as a viable corporation and service-oriented agency, NIA’s objectives are to develop and maintain irrigation systems in support of the agricultural development program of the government; to provide adequate and sustainable irrigation service in partnership with the farmers and local government units; to provide technical assistance to institutions in the development of water resources for irrigation; and to support economic and social growth in the rural areas through irrigation development and management. (Manny Galvez)